Re: I am a boxing manager: if you have questions about the boxing biz, ask!

Anyway decent story about a missed $1 dolllar purse with the fighter totally to blame.

1982 Roberto Duran is coming off the back of a UD loss against Benitez the plan being get him a decent tune up fight at WW & get him a rematch at LMW v Benitez.

There was lots of fighting about Duran going on outside the ring both King & Arum courting a fighter that at the time could sell tickets in a empty room massive large,loyal fanbase.

A few names were tossed about & a chance call by DK to Mickey Duff brang up the name Kirkland Laing.King & Duran's team gave it the ok.

Laing's nickname was the gifted one & was supremley talented often he beat himself by his womanising,gambling & his love for marijuana.You would say he was one of the best British fighters never to win a world title the differnce being self inflicted.

Laing took the fight told both Duff & his trainer Joe Ryan 'You will see the best of me this is the first fighter i am scared of!'

The fight went ahead Laing fought the fight of his life winning a SD that was not even close.No argument from Duran he knew the better man on the night won.

The aftermarth Laing had oppt lined up against Milton McCrory or Donald Curry up to $1m purse. Laing went missing for 6 months his ship then sailed.In the same year Duran made a conservative $3m+ dollars.

Don King at that point fell out with Mickey Duff claiming he had been in his own words 'had over' he never spoke to Duff for nearly four years after that cue the irony.